Rugers original Single Six 32 H&R Magnum

[Star43]

The only thing I see here is what I had said ???

 

[gak]

Earlier today I mentioned about the Single Six 32 H&R Mag revolver in another thread. It was a casual post, but have thought about it today. The original blued Single Six. Remember the ads back in 1984 & '85 talking about the new "Hard hitting new varmint round" amongst other advertising verbage.

The 32 Mag is one of the unsung heroes, the Rodney Dangerfield of cartridges, but fell victim to the rags and their readers that drank the "only bigger is better" kool aid. I'm also solidly in the camp that it was not a pipsqueak round, as many have said, "just" with Factory loadings (supposedly lesser so because of existing weaker H&R 32 revos still out there). One of the most enjoyable rounds to shoot, and unlike even .38 to which it is often compared, you could shoot it all day... definitely has enough pop to know that it weren't no 22-anything.

I got one of the first SS's out of the chute in 1984 as a 30 yr birthday present to myself, a 5.5 blued beauty. One of my great gun regrets in life was letting that go in a low cash moment, but later would pick up several of the fixed sight "Vaqueritos"-- a moniker Ruger actually used briefly in ads -- and enjoy them to this day. An SW 431 (J frame) acts as a great PD, BUG and backpacker, and I see that Lipseys has a run of similarly formatted but hammerless (432 and 632) SW right now! The "little 32 that could" lives on! The 32 H&R is a fabulous round that unfortunately has been overshadowed by the .327, and a lot more pleasant to shoot! At this late date, I wish CCI would make a snake (rat) shot round...that'd chamber also in the .327, or perhaps should be in .32 SW Long so as to camber in those guns as well. That request has fallen on deaf ears for thirty years, even with the advent of the .327, another sign of the undeserved disrespect this lovely round has gotten.

Late edit: I have always had the thought that the .32 H&R Mag was/is to the single six frame that the .44 Special is to the larger frame Ruger and Colt SAA (regarding the latter to the extent that "had the .44S been available in 1873...") - the ultimate cartridges for their respective frames...yet both ironically not receiving the notice they deserved.
.

 

[davidkachel]

The 32 cal sixes are my reloadable "22's".

Oh, good! I can use you as proof that I'm not crazy. That's exactly what attracted my attention... reloadable .22! (Or, at least not UNIQUELY crazy!!)

 

[Star43]

Oh, good! I can use you as proof that I'm not crazy. That's exactly what attracted my attention... reloadable .22! (Or, at least not UNIQUELY crazy!!)

When it comes to the 32 H&R Mag, I think we are all a little uniquely crazy !! Crazy about the round and in my own particular case, The Ruger Single Six in 32 H&R Mag !!

 

[Star43]

The 32 Mag is one of the unsung heroes, the Rodney Dangerfield of cartridges, but fell victim to the rags and their readers that drank the "only bigger is better" kool aid. I'm also solidly in the camp that it was not a pipsqueak round, as many have said, "just" with Factory loadings (supposedly lesser so because of existing weaker H&R 32 revos still out there). One of the most enjoyable rounds to shoot, and unlike even .38 to which it is often compared, you could shoot it all day... definitely has enough pop to know that it weren't no 22-anything.

I got one of the first SS's out of the chute in 1984 as a 30 yr birthday present to myself, a 5.5 blued beauty. One of my great gun regrets in life was letting that go in a low cash moment, but later would pick up several of the fixed sight "Vaqueritos"-- a moniker Ruger actually used briefly in ads --
.

Good post and I agree with you about the lack of respect in the general sense. But not to the fans of the 32 Mag, and especially the Single Six in 32 Mag!! We know how good they are !!

 

[Jagdhund]

My "pasture" gun is a fixed sights stainless Single Six. My dad had an early .32 Mag, blued with adjustable sights. I liked it a lot, but really liked the size and portability of my 4 5/8" fixed sight model. I bought it in 2004. It's much easier to carry than the S&W 18-4 I traded for it. For big varmints, I load a 120 gr. flat nose lead bullet at just over 1100 fps. That's plenty stout for armadillos, etc.

 

[Star43]

My "pasture" gun is a fixed sights stainless Single Six. My dad had an early .32 Mag, blued with adjustable sights. I liked it a lot, but really liked the size and portability of my 4 5/8" fixed sight model. I bought it in 2004. It's much easier to carry than the S&W 18-4 I traded for it. For big varmints, I load a 120 gr. flat nose lead bullet at just over 1100 fps. That's plenty stout for armadillos, etc.

How long is the barrel on your Dad's 32 H&R Mag Single Six ??